Printing apparatus



Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED s'rres orrics PRINTING APPARATUS Marcus A. Wells, Worcester, Mass.

Application February 27, 1941, Serial No. 380,803

8 Claims. (01. 101-204) The present invention relates to printing apparatus and especially to an arrangement by which several colors may be printed at one time on printing machines, particularly of the socalled flat bed and platen type.

In the printing of paper sheets, cards, posters, or the like, on a printing machine in which the type is inked by a roller which conveys ink from the supply to the type, it has been essential that all of the printing performed at one operation be of one color since the conventional roller is not capable of transferring more than one color at one time. One of the features of the present invention is the provision of an arrangement by which several colors may be printed simultaneously on spaced sections of the sheet in a single printing operation, or, in certain instances, different types of ink may be applied to separate sections of Y the sheet or other article being printed.

According to the present invention, the roller which supplies ink to the type is arranged to pass over separate spaced inking mechanisms, each of which applies a separate color or type of "ink to predetermined sections of the roller. A

further feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of these inking mechanisms so that they may be mounted in the chase with the type and in any predetermined relation with respect to each other to obtain the desired multi-colored effect.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- 1 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a flat bed type of printing machine in which the invention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is an elevation on a larger scale of a chase ready to be mounted in the printing machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the inking mechanisms.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fi 4.

Fig. 6 is a printed card showing one possible arrangement of colors.

With reference first to Fig. 1, which shows diagrammatically a well known type of printing press of the platen type, the base I has mounted thereon a substantially upright support 2 on which is secured by any suitable holding means the chase 3. The latter, as will hereinafter appear, carries the type by which the printed imprint is made. Pivotally mounted adjacent the lower edge of the support 2 is the oscillatory platen 4 which supports the card or other article 5 on which the printing is to appear. The cards may be fed to and removed from the member 4 manually, or in certain instances by a suitable automatic mechanism. In either event suitable mechanically actuated mechanism causes the member 4 to move upwardly into parallel relation to and against the chase 3 to press the card against the type therein and the member 4 is then rocked back to permit removal of the printed card and the substitution of an unprinted card. While the support 4 is in the inoperative position shown, an inking roller 6 is rocked downwardly from an inking plate 1 to pass over all of the type carried by the chase and is then returned to the position of Fig. 1 for the printing operation.

The above described printing machine shows merely one type of machine to which the present invention is applicable. It will be apparent from the following description that the same arrangement may be equally well applied to many other types of printing machine, such as fiat bed types,

and also to certain forms of so-called rotary printing machines.

With reference to Fig. 2, type characters 8 are mounted within the chase 3, being spaced from each other and spaced within the chase by suitable spacing blocks I 0. Quoins H hold the type and blocks securely in position within the chase. In accordance with the present invention, in line with each row of type characters 8 and adjacent to the upper edge of the chase 3, are positioned inking mechanisms I2, hereinafter described in detail. Each mechanism carries ink of any predetermined color or type and applies ink only to the portion of the inking roller 6 that directly engages with the mechanism. When these inking mechanisms are used, the ink supply plate of Fig. 1 is held stationary as will be apparent.

The roller 6 as it passes down over the chase when the latter is in position in the printing machine will transfer ink from the inking mechanisms I2 to the type in line therewith. The mechanisms are substantially as tall as the type, so that the inking face thereof will not engage with the platen during the printing operation.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, each inking mechanism comprises an open box [3 having transverse partitions 13a spaced from each end thereof. A cover l4 for the box has its edges arranged to fit just inside the side walls of the box, and the cover has transverse flanges [4a to fit within. the transverse flanges I 311. In the arrangement shown, the flanges 13a are arranged in pairs, so that the flange Ma can fit therebetween.

Between each flange 13a (or pairs of flanges) and the adjacent end wall of the box is positioned a spring I5 which tends to urge the cover I4 of the box away from the box. The action of the spring [5 is limited by any suitable means, not shown.

The cover I 4 between the spaced flanges [4a has a large number of perforations It to permit the escape of ink from within the box. It will be understood that instead of perforations, this portion of the box may be formed of fine screen, or may be made in any other way which will permit the slow escape of ink. The cover is also higher between the flanges Ma and tapers towards opposite ends, as indicated at IT, to provide for the ink distributing roll to ride onto the surface of the inking mechanism and to urge the cover downwardly into the box as the roll moves over the mechanism.

To minimize the quantity of inkrequired, a false bottom IS may be placed within the central portion of the box between the flanges 13a. This false bottom is urged upwardly by a spring !9, so that only enough ink is required to fill the space between the false bottom I 8 and the cover [4. It will be understood that the box 23 is made strong enough to resist the compressing or collapsing pressure exerted by the quoins when the printing mechanism is in position within the chase.

In operation, the type is set up in the chase in the usual way, and printing mechanisms of the type described and filled with the desired colors of ink are placed adjacent the upper edge of the chase in alinement with the selected sections of type. The chase then being mounted in position in the printing press and the press set in operation, the inking roller moves downwardly over the several printing mechanisms to pick up the several colored inks, and to transfer the inks to the proper sections of type which are in line with the inking mechanisms. It will be understood that any number of inking mechanisms may be used for obtaining several diiferent colors of printing at one time, and that the inking mechanisms may be so constructed that several inking mechanisms filled with the same color of ink may be placed directly adjacent each other, where the overall width of any one of the mechanisms is less than the dimension of the type to be inked with that particular color.

One example of a printed card is shown in Fig. 6, where each line of print on the card 20 is of a distinct color as indicated by the suggested colors at the side of the card. It will be understood that any number of colors as well as any arrangement of colors may be utilized.

I claim:

1. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for delivering ink to said roller.

2. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for delivering different colors of ink to separate sections of the roller.

3. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for delivering ink to said roller, said ink delivering means being retained in the chase by the same means that holds the type in position.

4. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for delivering ink to said roller, said ink delivering means including a plurality of separate boxes, each of which may have a separate color or kind of ink and arranged in side by side relation.

5. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for applying different colors of ink to separate sections of'said roller, said ink applying means including a plurality of separate boxes, each of which may have a separate color or kind of ink therein, each of said boxes being separately removable from the chase for replacement by a similar box.

6. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, means in said chase for applying different colors of ink to separate sections of said roller, said ink applying means comprising a plurality of separate boxes positioned for engagement by the inking roller, each box carrying a particular color, each box having a perforate cover for the escape of ink from within the box, and resilient means for urging the cover away from the box.

'7. In a printing mechanism, an inkingroller, a chase having imprinting means therein over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for applying different colors of ink to separate sections of said roller, said ink applying means comprising at least one box having a perforate cover for the escape of ink from within the box, said box being positionable adjacent to the type within the chase such that the perforate cover of the box may be engaged by the roller for transfer of ink from said box to the imprinting means.

8. In a printing mechanism, an inking roller, a chase having imprinting means thereinv over which the roller is moved, and means in said chase for applying different colors of ink'to separate sections of said roller, said ink applying means comprising at least one box having a perforate cover for the escape of ink from within the box, said box being positionable adjacent to the type within. the chase such that the perforate cover of the box may be engaged by the roller for transfer of ink from said box to the imprinting means, said box and cover being less high than the type in the chase.

MARCUS A. WELLS. 

